Hi and Welcome!

Looks like you're off to a good start. Since you're going to be working with search & rescue, I'd recommend adding front and rear recovery points, and a set of skid plates.

 

Cool looking rack.

Are all the lights wired up to one switch? Or multiple?

You should attach a awning to the side makes for readily available shelter when trees aren't around.

You should also create a build thread, nice work so far!

 

Looking good, keep up the good work and keep this site posted.

 

Recovery points and skid plates are next on the list for sure. I also plan on getting a set or two of MaxTrax. The rainy season in the PNW is a mess to say the least.

The lights are wired on three separate switches from fused relays:
-Front
-Side
-Rear

Thanks for the input!

 

Looks good! Needs a winch and a lift though haha

Sent from my Vortec-powered Droid Turbo using Tapatalk

 

I'd love some more detail about wiring those lights up. Starting up a similar build on my 2010 and like how clean that install looked.

Thanks

 

Would love to see pics showing the top spotlights better. Can't quite get a sense of how they look and are mounted in the safari rack.

 

Looks like a hole is drilled through the rack frame and the light is bolted into that.

 

Yeah, I bolted the lights through the rack on the back and side. The front has four welded tabs for the lights to mount to. That was a major factor when considering roof racks. The GoRhino Safari rack has a wind fairing with 3'' holes for 3'' led's. I decided to go with 4'' so im going to have to cut and recoat the fairing.

@SamPatriot: It was fairly simple-ish. I ran wires through the firewall to the rear of the Pat and came up through one of the gasket-ed holes behind the lift gate. The relay box, 150A breaker, powerpole, and wiring all came from Amazon. All the relay and light wire is 14GA and the wire from the battery to the breaker and power pole is 4GA. The switches are run through a fuse tapper to the cigarette lighter, they only work when the ignition is on. The CB is run directly to the powerpole so it can be run with the ignition on or off. If you need close up pics of it all let me know and I can throw some up. Just make sure your crimps are tight and to use some waterproof heatshrink. It was time consuming, but pretty straight forward.


I just ordered some tow hooks from RangerDave, should be here in a week or so. Ill put pics up when I get them on. I think a rear tow hitch D-ring and some skid plates are gonna be on by Christmas.

 

Very nice.

 

Very nice. How does the FDI handle the rough stuff?

 

You know, not too bad. It certainly inst a Rubicon or even a 4runner, but it isn't supposed to be. I live in western Wa, and it does fine in the snow in mud. I certainly wont be taking it to Moab lol, but its a great little camping rig with fuel economy.

Putting the tow hooks I bought from RangerDave on this forum today, I will post pics when I am done.

 

This looks like a great build! I too have an FD1 and am a SAR volunteer, so I'll keep a close eye on what kind of awesome things you do to this thing. You should check out Husky Liner formed floor mats and cargo liners. The front, rear, and cargo liners come to about $405USD but let me tell you, they are so worth while. They keep the floors and lower trim pristine especially with how much muck tends to be brought in after 12 hours through the bush. I don't have them in my Patriot yet but they were in my Mazda3 for years. The dealership which bought was amazed at how clean the floors and trim were because of them.

I'm planning to build a low profile cage along the sides of the trunk for recovery gear and possibly even a system for a backboard. If it works out I'll post some photos.

 

Ever had any experience with WeatherTech mats? If so, how are they compared to HuskyLiners?

 

Looks good, your making me want to get another roof rack.

 

nice looking rig

 

Is it FWD? 4x2?

I'm not sure what FDI is.

Thank you!

~Ares

 

I'm not sure what FDI is.

Hi Ares, the FDI is the non-trail rated 4x4.

 

Dude how did you get through the firewall... I've been searching for an opening that's big enough without having to drill one